


Realisations of The Heart

by FairyTaleAdventures



Category: The Good Doctor (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:47:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25767673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FairyTaleAdventures/pseuds/FairyTaleAdventures
Summary: Neil and Audrey's co-workers recalling the moment they realised they were in love.
Relationships: Audrey Lim/Neil Melendez
Comments: 7
Kudos: 30





	Realisations of The Heart

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this about 3 months ago but hated it so much that I couldn't bring myself to post it. I then suffered a minor brain injury that made writing a little difficult so it took me some time to get around to rewriting this. This is the first thing I've posted since the injury and while I'm a little nervous about it, I think it turned out alright.

**MORGAN REZNICK**

The last thing I expected when I got the call to go into work on Christmas Eve morning was that I would realise my bosses were in love with each other. Sure, one could argue that the biggest shock of my day should have been the fact that I became one of the few doctors available during an emergency lockdown brought upon by a deadly unknown virus that rapidly claimed the lives of three people. However, I was a doctor, and while rare, I knew an outbreak was always a possibility. 

What I thought wasn’t a possibility was watching my two mentors, who I had rarely seen interact with one another in any way other than friendly, express their adoration for one another in subtle, yet meaningful ways. 

I consider myself to be an observant person. I was a doctor nonetheless and I had to be able to recognise suppressed body language. When I would be on the bus on my way home from a sixteen hour shift, exhausted and already half asleep, I could still notice the person on the opposite end of the vehicle who was experiencing physical discomfort just by the way they were slightly leaning to the side, favouring the uninjured side of their body. When I would ask a patient questions regarding how they acquired an injury, I could immediately recognise when they were trying to fabricate a story, just by how their voice would increase an octave as they said something rather obtuse. It was a talent I prided myself in. 

This is why I was shocked that my two mentors were able to dance around each other with their longing gazes and suggestive smiles for so long without me noticing. 

My first clue came when Lim asked for Melendez when she was heavily sedated. During the quarantine, as Lim’s prognosis progressed, she began to slip in and out of a conscious state. I remember tuning out most of what she was trying to say, my sole focus on trying to keep her vitals steady. Most of what she was saying was nonsense anyway. If I recall, at one point she mentioned something about a dollar bill, which had no significance to the task at hand. But then there was a sudden moment of calmness, as if it were brought upon by a flip of a switch. The mood in the room shifted and Lim paused to stare at me. The look on her face made my head tilt in wonder. It was not a look I had ever seen on my superiors face before. Recalling the moment now, remembering how her face was soft and her eyes were wide in admiration, the only thing that described the scene was a look of pure love.

“Neil” was the only thing she had said. Her voice was so delicate, it took me a minute to realise she was referring to Dr. Melendez. 

I didn’t know what to say. I don’t think it would have mattered if I had said anything. Lim looked lost in her own mind. Instead, I grabbed her cold hand in mine, rubbing my thumb against the back of her hand in a comforting manner as her eyes closed once more. 

“You’re going to be fine,” I assured. “We started your treatment early. Plus, there is no one more capable of beating a deadly virus than you.” The statement was meant to be lighthearted but it was anything but. I desperately wanted to believe my words, but as my eyes drifted to the body bags laying on the gurneys abreast, I wasn’t confident I totally believed what I was saying. 

I didn’t think too much into the moment. Lim was heavily medicated and by no means thinking clearly. But now I realised, on the brink of death, the one person she had wanted by her side was Melendez. 

The idea brought a smile to my face.

My second clue came minutes after the first when Melendez called me on the phone. When I recognised his voice, my first instinct was to read off the stats on the monitor. I read them with such determination and ease, attempting to sound confident that the numbers were going to start improving. But Melendez didn’t care about the stats. I failed to recognise the way his voice was tight, as if he was trying to not get choked up. Now, recalling the moment, I realise he probably was. All he wanted to know was that she was still breathing. 

I remember ending the call feeling more pressure than before. It was similar to the feeling I would get when I would explain a patient's diagnosis to a loved one and watch as their face hardened and their eyes welled up with tears as they begged me to do everything in my power to save them. 

And yet, I still didn’t come to terms with how much my mentors truly meant to one another. I blame it on the situation. If I hadn’t been going through the most challenging moment of my medical career, I’m confident I would have put the pieces together a lot sooner. 

It wasn’t until after the lockdown was over that I was able to take a breath and see things a little more clearly.

Once given the all clear, I prepped Dr. Lim for transport so she could be taken to the ICU for further treatment. She had once again lost consciousness from the stress her body had endured, but her stats were improving which gave me hope. With a nurse following closely beside me pulling the infusion pump still inserted in Lim’s arm, we made it no further than the sliding double glass doors before Melendez was at Lim’s side, still dressed in surgical scrubs, wrapping one of her hands in the warmth of both of his. 

The look on his face made my breath hitch. The moment was so beautiful, so pure as he stared at her in awe as if he didn’t fully believe she was alive. 

That’s when it clicked.

“How’s she doing?” He asked, not removing his eyes from Lim’s pale face.

So entranced by the scene before me, it took me a beat to realise the question was directed at me.

I recovered quickly. “She’s tired and the recovery process will be long, but she’s going to be just fine.”

The look of relief on his face made the tension throughout my body dissipate. 

“I’ll take it from here,” He said. I could see from the determination in his eyes that it was not up for debate, so I stepped aside, allowing him to take my place and wheel her off to the ICU. 

Something had shifted that day. I’m not entirely sure what, but as I peaked through Lim’s ajar hospital room door late that evening and noticed Melendez at her bedside, the two of them wearing tired smiles with their fingers loosely intertwined, I knew it was something beautiful. 

  
  


**AARON GLASSMAN**

Over the course of my lengthy medical career, I had had the pleasure of witnessing plenty of residents turn into fantastic surgeons at St. Bonaventure. I would even go as far to say I was directly responsible for many of those achievements. After all, I was the attending who developed more residents from nervous balls of eagerness, into confident surgeons ready to face any oncoming plight.

Not everyone enjoyed the perks that came along with passing your hard-earned knowledge and wisdom onto students. Some considered it to be an inconvenience rather than a blessing. What those people always failed to miss was the way each student brought their own uniqueness into the field and enhanced the quality of education. It was something I largely valued in the working environment which is why most of my residents - the ones who didn’t drop out or find a passion in another medical field - had moved on and found successful careers at hospitals around the nation. 

Only a handful of residents I directly taught were currently employed at St. Bonaventure. The ones who remained were fortunate enough to find a love in a specific specialty and even go as far as to become department heads. While the teacher in me wanted to take credit for their success, I knew in most cases, there were influences greater than anything I could have taught from a textbook.

Audrey Lim and Neil Melendez are a perfect example of this. There was something about the way the two doctors worked in opposition alongside each other which consequently brought out the best in one another. It was something so few pairs of resident’s had ever been able to achieve. They were competitive, no doubt, but it was the way they let their competition fuel their desire to learn, which left me in astonishment.

In most cases, a resident would do everything in their power to show how they were more superior than their fellow co-workers. I would be lying if I said this never happened between the pair. In their first year together, this is exactly what took place. 

At first, Audrey didn’t participate. I think she thought Neil was rather ignorant and unequivocally immature. But then I made the mistake (which turned out to be the exact opposite of a mistake) of placing them on separate teams during one of my many challenges. While the Monday had started out contentious and rather heated, events quickly took an unexpected turn. They had helped each other. By Wednesday, the challenge was forgotten. Working together, they solved two perplexing cases and exceeded all my expectations and more. The goodness that came out of that one week not only kickstarted the beginning of their successful careers, but the beginning of a beautiful friendship. 

I ended up rewarding them both. 

Since then, there was a noticeable shift. Instead of trying to show one another up, they found an understanding and worked together to solve problems. They cared for each other. The life of a surgeon, especially a surgical resident, is not easy. It is composed of long days, sleepless nights, and little room for any personal time. So it was the little things that made a significant impact. Neil would always bring her coffee during their early morning starts or Audrey would prepare his patient charts for him when she knew he had a late night strategy session. 

At first, I never considered their relationship to be anything more than friendly. Sure, it wasn’t rare for two residents to begin dating each other. In fact, I would say it was more common than not. It just makes sense that one with such a demanding job would more easily find a relationship with someone else within the workplace. But there is also something challenging about dating a fellow co-worker, especially one you work side-by-side with everyday. 

At that time I didn’t think anything of it. I figured it was just two people who enjoyed working together and wanted to see the other succeed. That was until Audrey had gotten the chance to scrub in on a once-in-a-lifetime surgery that would most definitely have an impact on the future of her medical career. 

It was a delicate surgery. One that needed the utmost attention and patience. I myself had never seen anything quite like it before. On operation day, the gallery was packed. Everyone wanted a front row seat to witness a miracle take place, myself included. With Neil watching by my side, the two of us - along with many of the other medical staff who had rearranged their schedules specifically so they could watch - observed quietly from above as the initial cut was made. 

The procedure was going well. All operations seemed to be happening smoothly and the patient’s stats were stable. That was until the patient started bleeding from an unknown location, disrupting the field of view and changing the plan of action. The surgeons raced against the clock trying to find the source of the bleed and get back on track. 

Throughout the entire setback, Audrey stayed calm and collected and never once let the pressure of the situation get the best of her. I felt a sense of pride. Many people at her skill level would have not reacted in such a manner. Her ability to always stay level headed was what made her one of the best trauma surgeons in the country. Amongst the surgeons debating what their next step should be, I watched Audrey take a moment to collect her thoughts. Her eyes then shifted to the members in the gallery where, after some trouble trying to spot him among the large crowd, she finally met Neil’s eyes. I observed silently as they held each other's gaze for a long moment. I wondered if they were reading each other's thoughts. Looking back on the moment, how Neil nodded his head ever so slightly which caused Audrey to smile in response, I realise they likely were. 

Once bringing her attention back to the task in front of her, Audrey didn’t hesitate to voice her solution. While it was definitely an out of the box idea, one I still don’t know how she came up with, as it was far from any textbook procedure and definitely not one I had ever taught, it worked.

I was impressed. And evidently, so was Neil.

“She’s incredible.” It was such a simple praise, but the look of pure astonishment on his face as he stared at the woman down below as she made the final stitches, made me realise there was something between my two residents; something that I had clearly missed. 

I didn’t approve of surgeons dating one another. More often than not, it resulted in something messy that ultimately had an impact on one's ability to provide the finest patient care. But there was something almost fitting about the thought of the two of them together, as if it were something that was just meant to be. I found myself almost rooting for them.

It turns out, the love story of Neil and Audrey would be anything but simple. They would each go through relationships, love, and eventually heartbreak before they found their way to one another. It was as if, for so many years, they were both careful not to cross a line in fear that it would damage their friendship. By the time each of them had come to a realisation, it was too late. One was either in a relationship or not ready to take the next step. 

It was almost frustrating to be a forefront witness for so many years. But in the end, when they did finally take the leap, the many years of slow build up was worth it. 

  
  


**ALEX PARK**

I prefer to keep my work life and personal life separate. The less my co-workers know about what goes on when I’m not at work, the better. It’s not that I don’t like talking about my family. When in the right setting, I could most definitely go on about how wonderful they are, but in the workplace, I preferred to keep it professional. I know I’m not the only one who likes to keep things private. I’ve noticed, ever since Dr. Lim and Dr. Melendez announced their relationship, they have been a lot more secretive. I assume this is simply out of respect for the other. If my wife worked at the same place as me, I’d definitely not want her to out our business to everyone. 

Unfortunately, Claire and Morgan (especially Morgan) were the exact opposite. During the rare occasions when we all got to enjoy our lunch together, Morgan was always asking our opinion on rather deep questions regarding our bosses home life. It’s not that I wasn’t curious. After working beside them for so long, I’d often find myself wondering what the pair was like when they were in the comfort of their own home. I figured they were a lot more affectionate, but either way, I was content with the details I didn’t know. 

Even so, every once in a while, I found myself walking in on moments that I was not supposed to see. Most of the time, it was subtle things like a simple hand hold or a declaration of love. I’d always just walk out of the room unnoticed, or pretend I was engaged with something on my phone until they realised they were not alone. But one morning, when I was supposed to be meeting Melendez to go over patient notes, I accidentally walked in on a conversation that was definitely meant to be private. 

They looked to be fighting and didn’t even realise I was present until I dropped the bag I was carrying rather loudly on the meeting room table. 

As their eyes simultaneously shot up to meet mine, there was a moment of silence before Lim said: “We’ll talk about this later” and made her exit. 

Melendez didn’t respond. He simply pulled out his chair and sat down.

I hesitated, not certain how to approach the situation. “Do you want to talk about it?” I asked, silently hoping he wouldn’t.

“No” he huffed, clearly still agitated. 

No more than ten minutes later, his cell phone dinged, signalling he received a text message. He took his time reading the message. I could tell by the way his face softened and his shoulders relaxed that it was from Lim. 

Melendez met my questioning gaze before I could look away. He sighed. 

“We are arguing over what to do for Thanksgiving. I want to take her home to have dinner with my family, but she is intent on staying in town and spending it alone.” 

“Ah,” I almost laughed in response “My wife and I had that same argument our first Thanksgiving.”

“What did you do?” 

His question surprised me. We had never had a discussion about our personal lives before. But he had been honest with me and I figured it was only fair. 

“I gave in,” I shrugged. “I agreed to dinner with her family but in return she had to participate in my favourite holiday tradition.” He didn’t ask me to elaborate and I was thankful for that. 

Melendez seemed to think long and hard about my response before saying: “She just wants to spend some time together since we rarely get any alone time. I get that. But I also don’t get why she is so against coming home with me. She’s had Thanksgiving dinner with my family before.”

This perked my interest. From my understanding, they had only been dating for a short while.

“It was many years ago.” He answered my thoughts. 

I decided not to respond. While curious, it was best to leave it at that and not question him further. Though, I was trying really hard to picture a scenario in which they were close enough that he would have felt compelled to invite Lim over for an intimate family dinner. 

I realised in that moment, my attendings were a lot closer than I had ever suspected. 

They had a past. One none of us residents knew anything about. I’m sure if I brought up this little conversation with Morgan, she would have all the answers by the following week, but I decided against it. There was obviously a lot of history and if they wanted us to know about it, they would tell us when they were ready.

For now, it would be my little secret. 

  
  


**CLAIRE BROWNE**

I often found myself in the middle of many of my coworkers interpersonal relationships. Most of the time, my interference was in regards to Shaun and his personal relationship drama, but on occasion I would find myself overwhelmed with other people's personal problems. I’m not certain how I ended up being the person who people felt comfortable with coming to for advice. After all, I hadn’t had the best track record with personal relationships. But I figure it has something to do with my willingness to help those in need, inconsequential to the situation. 

I was attentive. This much I knew. I had practice in the art of catching peoples micro expressions, noticing involuntary emotional responses to a comment or question and acting in an appropriate manner. However, I began to question my ability to detect the undetected when Dr. Lim and Dr. Melendez made their relationship known.

I would blame myself, but I figure the reason I never noticed my superiors attraction for one another was simply because they didn’t want people to know. I could understand this. I imagine it would not be easy to announce your personal business to your coworkers and have them analyse your every decision in regard to one another. 

This is why I was shocked, albeit a little impressed, as I watched Dr. Melendez and Dr. Lim make out in front of their peers in the ER.

Despite my initial confusion, I was moved by them. Not only had they very publicly proclaimed their feelings, but they handled all the questions and comments that followed in a respectable and honest manner. 

I could tell they were happy. There was a seemingly buoyant energy that continued to follow the pair around, even when they were not in proximity. Once during a strategy session, I caught Melendez staring adoringly at Lim as she explained her theory. His elbow rested on the table, his cheek laid upon his closed fist as he nodded when appropriate. I couldn’t help but wonder if he was even really listening to her speak, or if he was simply watching her mouth form words as he got lost in memories I’m certain I didn’t ever want to know about. When Lim noticed what I’m positive was a look of nausea on my face, her gaze shifted to Melendez where she gave him a sharp look of disapproval. He blinked rapidly, before turning his attention to the book open in front of him, smiling sheepishly at the page. 

That was the one and only time besides the ER I had witnessed any signs of their relationship. 

But for the longest time, I always assumed their relationship was a spur of the moment thing that was formed spontaneously, as if it happened overnight. That was until Melendez put me on his service to assist on a young man who was overly invested in my superior's personal relationship.

Eli was his name, and while only twenty-five, he had already undergone one heart transplant and two minor cardiac procedures and was now back for his second heart transplant. 

“Eli’s first heart transplant was the first cardiac surgery I ever assisted on,” Melendez confessed to me as he handed me his patient chart to review. “And we are going to do everything we can to make sure he walks out of here with a new heart.”

When the two of us walked into the room, Lim was already there, sitting on a chair by his bedside, laughing along to a memory he was sharing. 

“Dr. Melendez,” Eli acknowledged in delight when he noticed his presence. “I wish I could say it’s good to see you.”

Melendez’s head tilted in amusement. “I wish we were meeting again under different circumstances,” he responded sincerely. 

“And that’s my cue to leave,” Lim cut in, giving Eli an affectionate pat on his arm. “You’re in good hands.”

On her way out, she must have shared a look with Melendez that I had missed as I watched Eli’s lips form a knowing grin, as his eyes darted from Melendez to the door where Lim had made her exit, to Melendez again before exclaiming: “you finally did it, you finally asked her out.”

I glanced at Melendez to observe his reaction. His mouth hung open slightly as his cheeks rapidly turned crimson in embarrassment.

Sensing his discomfort, I quickly introduced myself. 

It didn’t take me long to realise why Eli was such a memorable patient. Not only was he down to earth, but he was incredibly charming. I learned quickly that despite his hardships, he found a passion for adventure and loved to recount stories of all his latest travels. 

I found myself captivated as I sat in a chair beside his bed, listening to him narrate his latest trip to Guatemala where he volunteered as a builder for an underprivileged community. As he explained the details behind the construction process, I found my mind drifting off, silently praying we would find a heart for this innocent man who loved life and was the literal definition of living every moment to its fullest potential. 

It wasn’t until the tone of Eli’s voice changed that I was brought back to reality. “So what’s going on between Neil and Audrey?” The unusual use of their first names made me hesitate. 

“They’re dating I assume?” My response came out more of a question than a fact. I noticed Eli’s eyebrows come together in confusion so I continued. “I mean they made out in front of everyone in the ER, so I guess that means they’re a couple.” I could feel my cheeks warm as I recalled the memory, but Eli didn’t notice, his eyes fixated on Dr. Lim through his hospital room window who was in conversation with a nurse.

“It’s about time,” He declared. “I’ve been waiting for those two to figure their shit out for years.”

“What do you mean?”

He turned to face me, eyes wide. “You hadn’t noticed?”

“Hadn’t noticed what?”

“The intense eye contact, the perpetual smiling, the constant tension. It was almost sickening.” 

I hadn’t noticed. Before their display in the ER, I never thought of them as anything other than co-workers; friends at most. Were they really that obvious and I just wasn’t paying attention? Or maybe they  _ had _ been that obvious and I just didn’t want to acknowledge it.

“During my last surgery,” Eli began. “They were both assigned to my case. I spent a week watching those two dance around each other with their subtle touching and constant flirting. I eventually asked Neil to put me out of my misery and finally ask her to dinner but he just denied anything was going on.”

I shifted in my seat, suddenly uncomfortable. I was not used to learning so much information about the private affairs of my superiors. It was similar to that feeling you’d get when you were a kid and would go out to dinner with your family, only to see your teacher out at the same restaurant. Even so, I couldn’t help from thinking about how Morgan would love to be in my position right now, gaining intel on our bosses personal lives. 

It was odd. I never thought about what Lim and Melendez were like before I arrived at St. Bonaventure. At the time, Melendez was engaged to another woman and I just assumed they had been together for a long time. The idea that he and Lim were almost lovers was strange. But the idea gave me an understanding of their current relationship. It finally made sense. 

That evening, as I was leaving the hospital, I passed by Melendez’s office and noticed he and Lim through the open window. They were sitting across from one another, so close their knees were touching and their hands were intertwined. From my spot hidden in the shadows, I could tell they were comforting one another. It hadn’t been a good day, Eli’s heart was beginning to weaken and the team was having trouble finding him a new one. From the intel I had gathered from Eli, I knew he meant a great deal to my two attendings and could only imagine the sorrow they were feeling. 

Despite the heaviness of the situation, I suddenly felt a wave of happiness that they had each other.

  
  


***Bonus* A NURSES POV**

The nurses at St. Bonaventure were nosey to say the least. Everyone always seemed to know the latest gossip. Whether this be about a new nurse who had just gotten hired, a doctor who had been fired due to unlawful practices, or a patient who had been admitted with a unique condition, news was always circling. 

I had been at St. Bonaventure for thirty-two years now and I would be lying if I said I hadn’t contributed to the gossip. In fact, I had even been the centre of the gossip once or twice throughout my career after a secret relationship - to my now husband of twenty-eight year - had become public. 

Workplace romances were definitely the favoured topic. As many of the staff members were in relationships with their co-workers, private affairs were hard to keep a secret. There were two major partnerships that seemed to be continuously circulating. One was about my fellow nurse and good friend Jeanine. She was currently in the middle of a love triangle between an anaesthesiologist and an occupational therapist. Most of us were rooting for the occupational therapist. Not because he was more attractive (he was), but simply because he cared for her more. 

The second was between Audrey Lim and Neil Melendez. Most of us nurses had the privilege of getting to work with each of the surgeons. They were both a delight to be around. Dr. Lim, while often an authoritarian, was confident and likeable and always made the days go by faster. Dr. Melendez on the other hand took some warming up to. When he first started, he had a rather unwelcoming energy. He thought he knew all the answers and constantly refused help. That behaviour changed quickly, and once it did, he became someone I genuinely enjoyed being around. 

With their seemingly contrasting personalities, it’s no wonder they were so drawn to one another right from the start. During their first week of residency, both surgeons were assigned to my patient. It was exasperating. The non stop bickering and difference in opinions made my week a living hell. Luckily, thanks to many years of practice, I had experience in telling doctors off. And that is exactly what I did. 

While they eventually began to work in unison instead of against each other, the bickering continued and it didn’t take long for the other nurses to pick up on it. 

“I give it four months until I walk in on those two in the on call room,” Jeanine had wagered, nodding towards the pair who were clearly engaged in an argument.

I hummed thoughtfully. “I think they’re going to be stubborn. I give it seven months.”

She held out her hand for me to shake. “Deal.”

It turns out I was right about them being stubborn. 

Years passed, and as their relationship progressed from colleagues to close friends, our teasing also progressed. 

“Where’s my cup of coffee?” Jeanine had called after Dr. Melendez one morning after witnessing him walk into the ER with two extra large to-go cups of coffee and handing one to Dr. Lim. “Or do you only bring in coffee for your special ladies.” 

I laughed out loud as Dr. Lim’s face reddened.

Dr. Melendez didn’t miss a beat. “The ladies is singular,” he responded over his shoulder before stepping into the elevator. 

Dr. Lim had gathered her files and headed towards her first patient room without a word. He definitely got an earful for that one. 

The day they announced their relationship to the hospital was the same day as my thirty-second anniversary as a hospital employee. I was enjoying a homemade cupcake courtesy of one of my fellow co-workers when I heard Jeanine gasp loudly beside me. I remember nearly choking on some icing as I followed her gaze to Dr. Lim and Dr. Melendez openly making out in the ER in front of us. 

I couldn’t stop smiling that day. 

“I’m sorry we stole your thunder.” Dr. Lim had apologised after I had congratulated the pair.

“She obviously couldn’t help herself,” Dr. Melendez piped in which earned him a well deserved smack on the arm.

I laughed. “Don’t worry about it. I’m just glad you two were finally able to figure things out.”

They shared a smile before Dr. Melendez asked: “Does this mean you’re going to stop with the teasing?”

“Oh definitely not,” I responded. “If anything, I now have more material I can use. Plus, you outshined me on my special day. It’s only fair.”

Yeah, there was definitely a lot more teasing coming their way, but this time, I don’t think they would mind. 

  
  



End file.
